While “statute of limitations” is a phrase many people are familiar with, not everyone is sure of the details or how the statues may work in their home state. A statute of limitations is a law that sets a specific time limit on the right to file a case in civil court. If the plaintiff files a claim after the set cutoff date, a defendant can use the statute of limitations as their defense. Under many circumstances, a court can completely dismiss the case when the plaintiff misses the deadline.
Below is a chart broadly detailing the statute of limitations for a variety of civil claims in the state of Washington. While we’ve listed the relevant statutes, please be aware that statutes can change over time, and court rulings can determine the way statutes are interpreted.
As this article covers Washington State’s statutes of limitations in broad terms readers are encouraged to research the actual laws and contact a reputable law firm to see if your situation is impacted in any way by your state’s statute of limitations.
| Cause1 | Statute |
| Assault and battery: 2 years | Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.100(1) (2016) |
| Contract (in writing): 4 or 6 years | Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.040(1) (2016); Wash. Rev. Code § 62A.2-725 (2016) |
| Contract (not in writing): 3 or 4 years | Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.080(3) (2016); Wash. Rev. Code § 62A.2-725 (2016) |
| False imprisonment: 2 years | Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.100(1) (2016) |
| Fraud: 3 years | Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.080(4) (2016) |
| Legal malpractice: 3 years | Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.080(3) (2016) |
| Libel: 2 years | Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.100(1) (2016) |
| Medical malpractice: 3 years | Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.350(3) (2016) |
| Personal injury: 3 years | Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.080(2) (2016) |
| Product liability: 3 years | Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.080(2) (2016); Wash. Rev. Code § 7.72.060(3) (2016) |
| Property damage: 3 years | Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.080(2) (2016) |
| Slander: 2 years | Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.100(1) (2016) |
| Trespass: 3 years | Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.080(1) (2016) |
| Wrongful death: 3 years | Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.080(2) (2016) |
1: https://www.lawyers.com/legal-info/research/washington/washington-statutes-of-limitations.html
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